Talking the birds and bees isn't always easy, but someone's gotta do it!

Not wanting to talk about sex with your parents is a self-fulfilling prophecy…we think it’s impossible and awkward and unnecessary, and so it becomes impossible and awkward, even if it is necessary.

The fact that my parents didn’t like Meena, my girlfriend senior year, wasn’t so bad. They knew better than to make a big deal of their disapproval or tell a teenager whom to date. The problem arrived, however, when my mom came home early from work one day and caught Meena and me taking our lunch break at home…in my bed…. After she sternly commanded: "get your butt to class," I made record time getting dressed and to the school building. 

The Talk! Everyone’s heard about it whether it be through word of mouth or through real experience. Everyone’s experience with it was and will be different depending on the person and their parents. I like to think that my experience was the craziest of them all but I’m sure it has happened to others before me.

We’ve all seen posts about “The awkward moment when…”. They’re all over Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. Some of them are hilarious and some are more shocking. What about the awkward moments that really matter? For example: The moment when a son asks his dad where he can get a condom. The moment a daughter asks her mom what would happen if she got pregnant in high school. The moment a teen asks about what to do if they’re in a bad relationship.  These are really important questions that your parents will undoubtedly have an answer for. Most teens say that parents are their biggest influences on what they think about sex, love, and relationships, so at some point you’re probably gonna have a problem that you need to talk to them about.

Looking back, the first time my mom attempted to have "the talk" with me was probably one of the most awkward conversations of my life. Yes, she did try to explain everything the best she could, but every time she was beginning to go somewhere with our conversation, she would suddenly freeze and change the subject. It wasn’t the topic at hand that was awkward—it was the way my mother seemed to uncomfortable with the subject.

I will never forget how I first learned about sex. I was nine years old and swimming in the pool in my backyard with a bunch of my girlfriends. One of them had just gotten a book that told the whole shocking story and she was only too happy to share. Needless to say I was horrified by what I heard. I really wanted to ask my mom if what my friend said was true, but I was so embarrassed. When I finally did bring it up a few weeks later, my mother was completely open and willing to answer all of my questions. I wasn’t so eager to listen however. (Every time she mentioned getting my period I put my hands over my ears and told her I didn’t want to know.)